Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Town and St Anne

For one person, living is cheaper in St Anne: $1,145 a month against $1,568 in Cape Town, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cape Town outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Cape Town
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,568
/mo nomad
St Anne
🇬🇬 Alderney
$1,145
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cape Town and in St Anne

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cape Town and in St Anne actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,568 per month in Cape Town vs $1,145 in St Anne, rent included.

  • Cape Town $1,568
  • St Anne $1,145

A couple spends around $2,438 per month in Cape Town vs $2,750 in St Anne, rent included.

  • Cape Town $2,438
  • St Anne $2,750

A family of three spends $3,307 per month in Cape Town vs $4,355 in St Anne, rent included.

  • Cape Town $3,307
  • St Anne $4,355

Cape Town costs about 37% more than St Anne, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Cape Town sits 17% above the global median, while St Anne is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cape Town
St Anne
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.78 R 194
$26.27 GGP 19.88
-55.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.55 R 768
$92.7 GGP 70.1
-49.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.96 R 98.4
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.47 R 40.80
$2.68 GGP 2.03
-7.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 R 21.91
$2.61 GGP 1.98
-49.04%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 R 16.99
$1.29 GGP 0.98
-20.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.01 R 49.72
$6.80 GGP 5.15
-55.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 R 60.4
$6.69 GGP 5.06
-45.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cape Town
St Anne
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.39 R 22.96
$1.97 GGP 1.49
-29.44%
White Bread (500g)
$1.19 R 19.60
$2.17 GGP 1.65
-45.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.11 R 34.84
$2.40 GGP 1.82
-12.08%
Eggs
$3.01 R 49.58
$4.58 GGP 3.47
-34.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.96 R 148
$10.78 GGP 8.16
-16.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.65 R 110
$23.72 GGP 17.96
-71.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.29 R 153
$33.18 GGP 25.12
-72.00%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 R 30.13
$4.69 GGP 3.55
-60.98%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 R 31.31
$3.40 GGP 2.57
-44.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.75 R 28.83
$5.25 GGP 3.97
-66.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 R 34.41
$3.20 GGP 2.42
-34.69%
Potato (1kg)
$1.55 R 25.64
$1.29 GGP 0.98
20.16%
Onion (1kg)
$1.49 R 24.53
$4.35 GGP 3.30
-65.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.30 R 21.41
$2.62 GGP 1.99
-50.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 R 19.19
$1.43 GGP 1.08
-18.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.71 R 61.2
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$6.06 R 100
$15.86 GGP 12.01
-61.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 R 22.85
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 R 36.32
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Cape Town
St Anne
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.51 R 24.98
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$61.0 R 1,006
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.63 R 10.33
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.53 R 25.29
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.81 R 79.4
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.58 R 26.08
$3.32 GGP 2.51
-52.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.5K R 585.7K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K R 523.8K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cape Town
St Anne
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$116 R 1,920
$261 GGP 198
-55.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.37 R 468
$27.03 GGP 20.46
4.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.69 R 671
$59.3 GGP 44.91
-31.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cape Town
St Anne
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.85 R 806
$13.35 GGP 10.11
265.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.13 R 184
$6.79 GGP 5.14
63.92%
Cinema Ticket
$8.83 R 146
$11.72 GGP 8.87
-24.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cape Town
St Anne
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$261 R 4,314
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,702 R 110.6K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cape Town
St Anne
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4 R 914
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.27 R 532
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$118 R 1,939
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 R 1,766
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cape Town
St Anne
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,015 R 16.7K
$1,072 GGP 812
-5.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$715 R 11.8K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,801 R 29.7K
$1,616 GGP 1,223
11.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,330 R 22.0K
$1,560 GGP 1,181
-14.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,331 R 38.5K
$2,351 GGP 1,780
-0.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,513 R 25.0K
$2,350 GGP 1,779
-35.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cape Town
St Anne
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,636 R 27.0K
$2,022 GGP 1,531
-19.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.97
5.8
89.14%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Cape Town: October 4, 2026

Last update for St Anne: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cape Town
$715
St Anne
–
Groceries & Markets
Cape Town
$222
St Anne
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cape Town
$185
St Anne
–
Eating Out
Cape Town
$174
St Anne
–
Clothing & Footwear
Cape Town
$141
St Anne
–
Getting Around
Cape Town
$75
St Anne
–
Sport & Entertainment
Cape Town
$67
St Anne
–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,015 in Cape Town versus $1,072 in St Anne. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 24% higher in St Anne, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Cape Town versus $93.0 in St Anne. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $473 – making Cape Town the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇿🇦 Cape Town
🇬🇬 St Anne
🕒 Local time
13:31 1:31 PM
12:31 12:31 PM
1 h behind Cape Town
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,740,026 Capital
2,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GGP, USD, EUR to ZAR – South African Rand Converter

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 16.5 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.06 USD). 1 EUR = 18.49 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.41 EUR).

Guernsey Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.757 GGP (1 GGP = 1.32 USD). 1 EUR = 0.848 GGP (1 GGP = 1.18 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cape Town St Anne 9,520 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cape Town
  • St Anne

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Cape Town vs St Anne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cape Town or St Anne?
Cape Town costs about 37% more than St Anne, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Cape Town and in St Anne?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,352 per month in Cape Town and $1,718 in St Anne. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Cape Town or St Anne?
Rent is clearly cheaper in St Anne, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Cape Town compared to St Anne?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,568 in Cape Town and $1,145 in St Anne. That's a gap of about 37%.
Are groceries more expensive in Cape Town or in St Anne?
Interestingly, groceries are about 113% cheaper in Cape Town – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Cape Town or in St Anne?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in St Anne, where all-in costs run around $1,145, than in Cape Town at $1,568. In St Anne it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cape Town it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Cape Town or St Anne?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. St Anne costs $1,145 versus $1,568 in Cape Town. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Cape Town compared to St Anne?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Cape Town or to St Anne?
If budget matters most, go with St Anne. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cape Town makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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